«España»
The Economist publicaba la semana pasada una nota sobre el himno nacional, que me provoca a preguntarme por la opinión que tendrán los Europeos (modernos) de los españoles.
[…] The very idea of putting words to the Spanish anthem, a jaunty tune known as La Marcha Real (The Royal March), is explosive. Exuberant patriotism is still considered suspect. Politicians in one of Europe’s most decentralised countries expend vast amounts of energy trying to define how many ??nations?, ??countries? or ??nationalities? exist within its borders. How can one come up with stirring patriotic words that will not offend those Basques, Catalans or Galicians who either do not want to be Spaniards or profess far greater loyalty to their region than to their country? The government of the prime minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is steering clear of the issue for as long as possible […] «
¿Qué fue de aquella tradicional visión que algunas élites europeas tenían de nosotros los españoles: católicos fanáticos ultraconservadores, enemigos del progreso y fervientes defensores del honor, el valor y la regiosidad? (… me han regalado el libro de Álvarez Junco «Mater Dolorosa», y me está gustando)
Parece que esta se hubiese transmutado en otra más canchondona, aunque algo amnésica respecto del pais que configuramos…
«THE naughty ditty that generations of Spanish schoolchildren have sung to one another to the tune of the national anthem is hardly respectful. The words refer, among other things, to the former dictator, General Francisco Franco, his mother and his buttocks. […]»
Sin embargo, no cabe duda de que las visiones externas, aunque a menudo muy inexactas son, también a menudo muy pragmáticas, fuente de soliciones interesantes.
«[…] So what would be acceptable to the vast majority of Spaniards? One clue comes in the winning entry to a competition run by the Telecinco television channel. This sings the praises of love, freedom, culture, Europe, the world, the flag and the constitution. One difficult word, however, was avoided altogether: España.»
